Part 29 (1/2)

The girl gasped, dropped the gun, and then broke into hysterical laughter as she cried, ”Oh-is-that you?”

”Yes, it is I; Fred Tyson in the fles.h.!.+” rejoined the supposed murderer coolly, as with a stride he was at her side and, stooping picked up the gun.

The reaction was so great that for a moment Nathalie feared she was going to cry, but controlling herself by a strong effort she exclaimed, ”Oh, I was sure you were a tramp,” with a nervous giggle, ”or a murderer intent on killing me, and then hiding my body in the thicket yonder.”

She shuddered.

”Great guns!” Fred exclaimed as he looked the gun over. ”It is lucky this thing didn't go off. By the Lord Harry, how did you come to be carrying it?”

Nathalie, with a long breath of relief that all was well after her fright, then told Fred how she came to be near the graveyard at that time. Then suddenly remembering that she had not a minute to lose, she cried hurriedly, ”Oh, let us go on. I am afraid I am too late!”

”You're all hunky,” returned Fred calmly. ”You have plenty of time, for I overheard Mrs. Morrow tell Helen to postpone her Stunt until one of the last.”

”But how did you come to be here, may I ask?” queried Nathalie as they turned to walk up.

”Oh, I was in the next room and heard Helen tell you to go and get something at her house. I started out to offer my services, but some one b.u.t.tonholed me for the next Stunt; I had forgotten I was in it. As soon as it was over I hurried out to find you, but you had skipped. I rushed after you, missed you, and then remembering that you would return this way as it is the shortest, sat down on one of the tombstones to wait for you. But you're the stuff, all right, Nathalie Page, you ought to have a medal for bravery.”

[Ill.u.s.tration: Up went two hands in pretended subjugation.]

He suddenly pointed the gun and then pulled the trigger.

Nathalie gave a shrill scream in a spasm of apprehension, and jumped to one side. ”Oh, please, don't do that, it might be loaded, you know!”

Fred threw his head back and burst into a hearty laugh. ”Oh, ho, I see you are not as nervy as I thought,” there was a mischievous glint in his merry black eyes. And then as if ashamed of torturing the nerve-racked girl he cried soothingly, ”Don't you fret, Miss Blue Robin; there isn't any guess with me, I don't take chances. I saw it wasn't loaded when I first picked it up, but come, let's hurry!”

”Please don't tell any one I was afraid!” pleaded Nathalie, as they hastened on under the swaying branches of the trees that cast weird, fanciful designs on the moon-mantled path. ”They will think me an awful coward and tease me unmercifully.”

Fred a.s.sured her that he would keep mum, and added that she was not a coward, but a very brave girl. Then, in response to a challenge to race him to the Hall, they were off, Nathalie by this time having regained her usual poise and nerve. She won the race, for Fred, desiring to be gallant, dropped back a s.p.a.ce or two just at the right time, and thus allowed his partner to be the victor in this race of two blocks.

The gun was quickly delivered to Helen and then they hurried into the hall in time to see the portraits of Henry Hudson, Edward Winslow, William Penn, Governor Stuyvesant, and Captain Kidd and Henry Morgan, two pirates of pioneer fame. These colonial portraits were produced by their representatives standing behind a large wooden frame that had been made by the Scouts, gilded by the Pioneers, and then placed in front of a dark curtain.

Helen's Stunt proved to be a canvas background on which was painted a log cabin. At the door of this pioneer home stood Helen with a baby clinging to her skirts, pointing a gun at a skulking savage just disappearing beyond a very fair representation of a clump of trees. This picture of a mother of the wilderness was loudly encored, as it was significant of the hardy courage displayed by the women of those early days.

The last Stunt showed the Pioneers in line, each one with a big red letter pinned to the skirt of her uniform; the combination making the word ”Pioneer Women.” Giving bird-calls, building miniature log-cabins, making camp fires, jumping, throwing the lifeline, as well as making the motions of rowing and swimming, these and many other activities of the organization were performed. The girls ended by falling into line again and singing a farewell Pioneer song.

Mrs. Morrow now came forward, and after thanking the audience for their kind attention and aid in helping make the affair a success by buying tickets and by their presence, she announced that there would be another entertainment, a Flag Drill, to take place on the fourteenth of that month. It would be held in the rear of the home of Mrs. Van Vorst, that lady having kindly offered her lawn for the affair.

The faces of the Pioneers, with the exception of Nathalie's and Helen's, expressed unbounded surprise as they heard this announcement. As Fred Tyson and two other Scouts pa.s.sed slips of paper so that each one present could write her or his opinion as to the best Stunt of the evening, there was a merry clack of tongues as each girl queried how and when this wonderful thing had come to pa.s.s.

Lillie Bell, who had been watching Nathalie, suddenly leaned forward crying, ”Nathalie Page, I just believe that you know all about it!”

Nathalie did her best to look bland and innocent when this accusation was hurled at her, but the query was as a match to fire, and instantly Nathalie was surrounded by a bevy of girls, all eagerly demanding that she tell them how it came about.

”O dear, how should I know?” she demanded with seeming indignation.

”There, I told you she knew,” declared the Sport, who at that moment joined the group. ”Her face betrays her! And then she is on the committee.”

Nathalie turned and flashed at Edith angrily, ”Well, if I do know I am not going to tell. If you want any information go and ask Mrs. Morrow.”

Then feeling that things were growing desperate and that she might reveal what she had striven so hard to keep a secret, she broke from her tormentors and hurried into the hall.

Seeing Helen at that moment she dashed up to her, and grabbing her by the arm cried, ”Helen, the girls are tormenting me to tell them about the lawn party; oh, do keep them from asking me again, for I am in mortal terror that I may tell something that should not be told just yet.”